Note paper dispenser



June 23, 1964 J. H. NEWMAN NOTE PAPER DISPENSER Filed May 8, 1962 //Vl/E/VTO/? 0 JERoME H NEWMAN 35 ,4 T TURNEYS United States Patent 3,138,312 NOTE PAPER DISPENSER Jerome H. Newman, Newman Tool Die and Machine Work, 1001 24th St., Oakland '7, Calif. Filed May 8, 1962, Ser. No. 193,092 5 Qlaims. (U. 226-128) This invention relates to paper dispensing devices in general, and is particularly directed to -a device for dis pensing and supporting note paper as required by a user in a telephone booth or comparable environment.

It is advantageous that note paper be provided in telephone booths and equivalent locations to facilitate the convenient writing of notes while telephoning or the like. It is beneficial that as short or as long a continuous strip of note paper as desired be selectively dispensible to an device for the dispensing of paper of varied selectable lengths from a continuous roll to an operable position against a backing surface for writing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a note paper dispenser of the class described including means for automatically locking the dispensed paper in immovable position relative to the backing surface.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a note paper dispenser wherein a continuous strip of paper is fed into an operable writing position against a backing surface and retained in such position in response to a simple actuation of an operating lever.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a paper dispenser of the above type, lock means operable to normally engage the paper and prevent movement in a dispensing direction and automatically release the paper during the dispensing thereof.

A still further object of my invention is to provide apparatus as above described in which said lock means serve to facilitate tearing of the dispensed paper portion from the roll thereof, and in which all portions of the mechanism are operable irrespective of the position or orientation of the apparatus. p

. The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a note paper dispenser constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the dispenser with the Patented June 23, 1964 FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken at line 55 of FIGURE 1, the paper feed means and lock means being in positions corresponding to those depicted in FIGURES 1 and 2.

Referring now to the drawing, there is seen to be provided a note paper dispenser 11 which in its broader aspects includes support means 12 for a paper roll 13, and manually operable feed means 14 for selectively feeding a leading segment portion 10 of the roll to an operable writing position against a backing surface 16. In addition, and as a particularly important feature of the invention, paper locking means 17 are provided in operative association with the feed means 14. Such locking means normally lock the paper relative to the backing surface 15 when the feed means is unactuated and release the paper for feeding in response to actuation of the feed means. Thus, subsequent to feeding of a leading segment of paper into operable writing position against the back ing surface, the locking means is effective in retaining the paper in writing position. The paper may thus be written upon without necessity of the writer holding the paper against slippage or movement with his other hand. Upon completion of the taking of notes, the leading segment may be conveniently and readily torn from the remainder of the roll without causing further accidental feeding of additional paper from the roll.

Considering now the note paper dispenser ill in greater detail as to its preferred structure, the roll support 12 is advantageously provided as a pair of brackets 15 and 18 which depend from the backing surface 16 in transverse relation thereto with each bracket being provided with a stud 19 to engage the roll core. The paper roll 13 may thus be freely supported upon and between the brackets for dispensing rotation about a transverse axis. One of the brackets has limited flexure so as to permit loading of new paper rolls.

The backing surface 16 is preferably provided as the leading portion of a flat rectangular support plate 29 which extends laterally beyond the sides of the brackets 15 and 18 as indicated generally at 21 (see FIGURE 5) for purposes subsequently described. The plate 20 is provided with a transverse slot 22 in overlying relation to the roll 13, such slot dividing the plate into the leading backing surface portion 16 and a trailing portion 23. The forward edge of the slot is downwardly turned to define an inclined guide lip 24 which facilitates the smooth guiding of the leading segment of the paper roll upwardly to of the paper roll supported in the brackets may thus be led upwardly around guidemember 25, through channel 28, and upwardly along the lip 24 through the slot 22 to the backing surface 16.

Considering now the feed means 14 in more detail, it is to be noted that same is preferably provided as a pair of paper feed rollers 29 in engagement with the paper extending through guide channel 28 and arranged for unidirectional feeding rotation in response to operation of a hand lever 31. More explicitly, the feed rollers 29 are fixedly secured in transversely spaced relation to a shaft 32 which is in turn journalled for rotation about a transverse axis between brackets 15 and 18. The rollers 29 extend through an opening 34 in the guide member 26 into closely spaced relation to the undersurface of the plate portion 23. The rollers are preferably formed of rubber or the like such that considerable traction is imparted to the paper in the channel 28 clamped between the rollers and undersurface of the plate portion 23. One

end of the shaft 32 projects laterally beyond the corresponding bracket 18 and a spur gear 37 is attached thereto through a simple clutch 36 thereby permitting only unidirectional rotation of the gear and shaft 32. The lower portion of hand lever 31 is disposed in laterally outwardly spaced parallel relation to the bracket 13 and a lower extension 35 thereof is pivotally connected to the bracket as indicated at 38 for movement about a transverse axis downwardly spaced from that of shaft 32. The upper portion of extension 35 is provided with an arcuate gear segment 39 at a position engageable with the gear 37. The upper end portion of the lever extends through a longitudinal slot 41 in the support plate 20, the slot thus limiting the pivotal excursion of the lever. As the lever is moved towards the rearward end of the slot into its operative position, the gear segment 39 causes rotation of the gear 37 to in turn rotate the drive rollers. The amount of rotation and accordingly the length of the leading segment of the paper fed atop the backing surface of course may be selectively varied in accordance with the distance the lever is moved rearwardly through the slot. Preferably the lever is spring loaded as by means of a torsion spring 42 which operates to resiliently pivot the lever to a normal position of inactuation at the forward end of the slot.

As regards the paper locking means 17, it is to be noted that same preferably comprises a serrated paper locking bar 44 mounted between brackets 15, 18 on a shaft 46 for pivotal movement about a transverse axis. The serrated edge of the bar is arranged to normally transversely engage and clamp the paper against the undersurface of plate portion 23 longitudinally intermediate the guide channel 28 and slot 22 when the bar is at the upper limit of its pivotal movement as best shown in FIGURE 4. The bar is, however, movable to a lower limit of pivotal movement out of engagement with the plate portion 23 as best shown in FIGURE 2 so as to permit feeding of the paper. More specifically, a depending arm 47 is secured to the side of the bar adjacent bracket 18 and at a position downwardly displaced from the pivot 46. A lateral projection 48 is provided at the lower end of the arm 47 substantially immediately adjacent the handle extension 35. A spring 49 is secured to the arm and extends rear-wardly into connection with brrcket 18. The spring normally urges the arm into its inoperative released position.

Pivotal movement of the locking bar between its upper and lower limits is appropriately correlated to the movement of the operating lever between its unactuated and actuated positions. To this end, a pair of inwardly projecting detents 50 and 51 are carried by portion of the operating lever and such detents are normally engageable with opposite sides of the projection 48 of arm 47. Thus, as the lever moves to its normal unactuated position at the forward end of the slot the detent urges the arm forwardly to in turn pivot the locking bar to its upper limit in engagement with plate portion 23. A leading segment of paper emanating from the guide channel 28 is consequently clamped between the locking bar and plate portion 23 when the lever is in its unactuated position. The leading segment of paper is thus effectively restrained against slippage from operable writing position on the backing surface.

When the lever is moved to its actuated position to effect feeding of additional paper to the backing surface, the detent initially pivots the projection and bar to its open position the arm and locking bar being further urged by spring 49 to their normal lower limit of pivotal movement wherein the bar is out of engagement with the paper and the latter is freed for feeding by the rollers 29. Detent 50 after such initial engagement passes over the projection, the spring 49 retaining the bar in open position. Upon return of the lever to unactuated position, the paper is again clamped by the locking bar by detent 51 engaging the projection, and the force of the lever spring 42 is sufficient to overcome the lock bar spring 49. In

order to facilitate clean tearing of the leading segment of paper upon which notes have been written, a serrated lip 52 depends from the rear edge of slot 22 against which the paper may be urged to produce a tearing action.

What is claimed is:

1. Paper dispensing apparatus comprising support means for rotatably carrying a roll of paper, feed means for selectively engaging and feeding an insecured leading segment of a roll of paper carried by said support means to a predetermined location remote therefrom, locking means disposed between said feed means and predetermined location for selectively retentatively engaging a leading segment of paper extending therebetween, and means for disengaging said locking means from said segment of paper when said feed means is actuated to advance said segment towards said predetermined location.

2. Paper dispensing apparatus comprising a backing surface, holder means for rotatably supporting a paper roll, guide means disposed between said holder means and backing surface for guiding paper therebetween, a feed roller disposed in association with said guide means for rotary feeding engagement with paper guided thereby, said roller adapted to advance an unsecured leading segment of paper from said guide means towards said backing surface, hand operated means coupled to said roller for unidirectionally rotating the same in response to operation of the former between a normalunactuated position and an actuated position, and paper lock means disposed between said roller and backing surface, said lock means including a locking bar being coupled to said hand operated means and movable from a first position retentably engageable with a leading segment of paper extending from said guide means to said backing surface to a second position disengaged from said paper in response to operation of said hand operated means between said unactuated and actuated positions, said locking bar being adapted to retain an unsecured leading segment of paper positioned adjacent said backing surface.

3. Paper dispensing apparatus comprising a plate having a transverse slot therein, support means carried by said plate for mounting a paper roll for rotation about a transverse axis, guide means carried by said plate for guiding paper from said support means to said slot, including a feed roller engageable with an unsecured lead ing segment of paper from said roll for feeding said segment towards said slot, said feed means including an operating lever mounted for pivotal movement about a transverse axis between unactuated and actuated limits spaced longitudinally of said plate, said feed means further including means for unidirectionally rotating said roller in response to pivotal movement of said lever from said unactuated limit to said actuated limit, a locking bar disposed longitudinally intermediate said feed roller and slot and mounted for pivotal movement about an axis transversely of said plate, said bar retentively engaging said segment of paper against said plate at a first limit and disengaged from said paper at a second limit of said pivotal movement, and means for moving said bar to said first limit in response to movement of said lever to said unactuated limit and to said second limit in response to movement of said lever from said unactuated limit towards said actuated limit.

4. Paper dispensing apparatus according to claim 3, further defined by said last named means comprising an arm projecting from said bar at a position radially displaced from its pivot axis, said arm engageable with said lever to pivot said bar to said first limit when said lever is at said unactuated limit, and spring loading means coupled to said arm and normally urging same towards said second limit.

5. Paper dispensing apparatus comprising a horizontal plate having a transverse slot therein and a longitudinal slot adjacent one side thereof, said transverse slot having a downwardly turned lip at its forward edge, spaced paper roll support brackets secured to said plate in underlying relation to said transverse slot, an arcuate guide member secured to the underside of said plate in spaced relation thereto and defining a longitudinal paper guide channel terminating rearwardly adjacent said transverse slot, said guide member having an opening therein, a shaft journalled between said brackets beneath said guide member and having one end projecting laterally from a first one of said brackets, feed rollers secured to said shaft and peripherally extending through the opening in said guide member, a gear secured to the projecting end of said shaft for unidirectional movement thereon, an operating lever having a lower portion pivotally connected to said first side member and an upper portion extending through said longitudinal slot of said plate, said lever being spring loaded towards the forward end of the longitudinal slot of said plate, a ratchet secured to said lever and engageable with said gear upon rearward movement of said lever in the longitudinal slot of said plate, a locking bar pivotally mounted between said brackets at a 20 position intermediate said guide channel and said transverse slot, said bar having a serrated upper edge engageable with said plate, an arm depending from said bar at a position radially displaced from its pivot axis, spring loading means normally urging said bar out of engagement with said plate and detent means projecting from said lever and engageable with said arm for moving the bar out of engagement with said plate upon lever actuation and into engagement with said plate upon return of the lever toward the forward end of said longitudinal slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,147,223 Vergobbi Feb. 14, 1939 2,771,009 Carroll et a1. Nov. 20, 1956 2,789,817 Sadgebury Apr. 23, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 854,348 France Apr. 10, 1940 

1. PAPER DISPENSING APPARATUS COMPRISING SUPPORT MEANS FOR ROTATABLY CARRYING A ROLL OF PAPER, FEED MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ENGAGING AND FEEDING AN INSECURED LEADING SEGMENT OF A ROLL OF PAPER CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEANS TO A PREDETERMINED LOCATION REMOTE THEREFROM, LOCKING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FEED MEANS AND PREDETER- 